Monday

The time seems to have flown by , i don`t know about you ? It was only this time last year , that i had many expectations for this year . And in true to form , they did not happen for me . I did keep one resolution that i made to myself , not to take any more c**p from anyone , to put it mildly , as i do not like swearing too much , and it irritates me when people say it every other word in speaking !! There is no need for it !

What i am doing is , or i do have more of , is hope and dreams for the coming new year . I will try my best to achieve , and not set my sights too high , on all the ideas that i have going around in my mind right now . If i do waver , as failure is not in my vocabulary , i will think of it as a learning process , to try again and succeed in my own way . I do not have a " plan " , as these can be broken by outside factors , you cannot control . But i do have " baby steps " to walk through to acheive what i would like to do . If i have to keep on one step for longer than is necessary , then so be it .

May all your hopes and wishes come true for 2008 !

Below , are photos from the cracker swap , which i hosted back in November . I only got mine from Amy , on Sunday 23rd dec ! I was more than delighted with my package , as i felt Christmas had come early !

The cracker which i sent to Amy , along with a collage , which is on a below post .

Amy`s cracker ..... which was made from a kitchen roll tube , and stuffed with loads of goodies !

I cannot choose my favourite thing , as she was so generous to me , but i LOVE this necklace , craft queen , and the post it notes !

Nearly a whole book of vintage sheet music ! Cute mini paper coasters and a handmade tag !

Amy knows i love vintage trims and ribbons ....

And that i am mad about birds ! How cute are these tea lights ! ? I do not want to burn them !

There`s even more ! A beautiful charm bracelet , which was so unexpected Amy !

I feel so lucky to have received all these gorgeous gifts from Amy , who offered to swap with me , as i took a back seat in it , as there was an odd number of participants .

Thank- you so much dear friend !

Now for my birthday announcement !!

Carolyn`s " Oscar`s " Birthday Bash !!

On Monday 7th Jan.

Any one that wishes to help me celebrate my birthday , please say so . All you have to do is a post that day . But , it has to be " Oscar " style ! Dressed up for a walk down my red carpet , ultra glam of course ! ;o) A picture will do , of a dress you love . along with all the right and expensive accessories ! And your dream date , who is attending with you ! AND a present of what you would like to give me .

If you can display my banner on your side bar , i hope to get even more attending ! Thank you !! ;o)

To make it even more like the Oscars , i will announce the next day , some category winners , like the best outfit , the best gift , and they will receive an altered torso shaped playing card that i have . I have yet to decide how i am going to decorate them !

So , get your thinking caps on , if you would love to take part !

What ever you are doing this New Years Eve ,

I wish you all a safe , happy celebration !

And a special thank you to all the new friends i have met this year , may it blossom and grow .

1 . My sister and i shared a bedroom for many years , with beds opposite each other . One Christmas Eve , the gap was just big enough to hold hands , so we did , until we eventually fell asleep .

2 . My mum always bought me a homemade Christmas cake , from a local bakery . You could choose what size / shape you wanted , and she always requested it without candied peel - I hate it !

3. Up until the age of 14 , my sister and and i always got a present to open on Boxing day ! It was something else to look forward too !

4. The first Christmas after we had to move to a smaller house , due to the housing recession . My sister and i spent our weekly pocket money on getting tins of food , to make a hamper , for a present for our parents , as we knew money was tight .

5 . One christmas morning , we awoke really early . Went downstairs , opened nearly all of our presents carefully . We both got a small doll , called Carrie and Christopher . Mine had the "anatomical bits " for the baby boy ! ( And i still have it in the loft somewhere ) Then we tried to rewrap them best we could , and went back to bed , ready to come down again , and reopen them , and try to look pleased !

Weird / random facts .....

Although i was married for 6 years , i never cooked a christmas dinner !! We always went out , so it was done for me . I didn`t cook my first one until 3 Christmas `s ago !!

My partner and i have always joked about , going into a restaurant and only ordering from the sweet menu ! So we are going to do that one day !

If i don`t put a slick of lipbalm on , when i got to bed . I don`t feel right ! ;o)

Even if it`s really warm outside , and our bedroom window is open . I cannot sleep with out at least a sheet covering me . I have always been like that .

I often say ....

Shut up !! Or Ssshh !! ( to my noisey budgies ! )

Huh !!

I love ya

Are you getting in the shower after me ?

Oh surprise surprise !

What i want to do before i die ....

Visit Egypt and the Valley of the Kings .

Get over my fear of heights !

Be a successful artist .

Open an animal sanctuary .

For Rhonda - Meet John Taylor in the flesh !! ;o) AND me to play guitar , Rhonda on the drums , and of course , John on bass !! Good idea then Rhonda ?? ;o)

Books i`m dipping into now .....

Your fantasies maybe hazardous to your health - Ligia Dantes .

Watercolour fairies - David Riche and Anne Franklin .

Fools Gold -- Susan . G . Wooldridge

The Art of Personal Imagery - Corey Moortgat .

Paper Metal Stitch - Maggie Grey and Jane Wild .

Songs i could listen to again and again ....

Elizabeth Fraser - Dream Baby .

DJ Tiesto - Just Be .

Eva Cassidy - Fields Of Gold .

Morrissey - November spawned a monster .

Kate Bush - This Womans Work .

Duran Duran - The Chauffeur .

Metallica - One .

Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness .

Limp Bizkit - The One

Megadeath - Mary Jane .

What i am passionate about ...

My friends and family .

Cruelty to animals .

Creating something from what others think of as rubbish .

Writing .

Music .

What attratcts me to my best friends ....

The same interests .

Knowing that i don`t have to talk all the time .

Honesty .

Will be there for me , when i really need them .

Respect each other .

I hope you enjoyed reading a little bit more about me . I will not pass these on , as most people have done these by now - don`t you think ? I may try and come up with one myself !

I will be announcing this Monday , a few details of my birthday celebration on here ! Please keep , Monday 7th January free to help me celebrate . Thanks !!

Thursday

So how many of you are fed up of eating and drinking then ?? I know i am .

My stomach feels like i`m 7 months pregnant , and i cannot face another alcoholic drink for a while !

We had a nice quiet Christmas day , my partner and i . We opened some presents in bed , like we normally do , then downstairs for the rest !!

I made prawn cocktail , grilled rump steak , salad , homemade potato salad , and of course Christmas pudding and brandy cream ! It was a turkey free day for us ! We have turkey for New Years day ! ....

We`ve then been visiting relatives , and had some over yesterday . So it`s back to some sort of " normal " life today .

I thought i would share some of my gifts with you all .....

A burning cinnamon tea - light , from Sherry .......

A massive box with my favourite chocolates in ! Ok , i LOVE these chocolates .... But .... What came in my mind first may you be asking ?? Fantastic ! I can reuse this box ! It`s so beautiful !! I was more interested in the box , than the contents , i`m sorry to admit to you all . . I know i shouldn`t have , and some of you will no doubt be laughing at me .... But i am thinking ahead !! ;o)

Some crafty things .... Of course ! ........

Assorted metallic papers .....

Bird paper from Basic grey .....

And lastly ... A pair of white / yellow gold hoop ear rings ....

There was also wine , chocolates , money and a years subscription to ....... Somerset Studio and Cloth , Paper , Scissors magazines !! Whoo Hoo !! ;o) I am just so happy to be getting those in the post !

I hope you all had a peaceful , blessed Christmas , and that everyone got at least one gift that you treasure the most , whether it is a material one or just friendship . I feel so lucky to have found new friends on here .... ......

Monday

Although i have done my Christmas message to you all , on the post below ......

Here i am wishing you all a Peaceful , Happy and a wonderful Christmas time . Filled with love , laughter , good food , and time spent with your families ! And i will see you all in a few days time .....

But , as a little tidbit for you to have a look at ..... here`s a collage that my cracker swap partner Amy recieved the other day , the part two of it , i called it . As i`d sent the cracker separate , and she requested a " make " . Even though it looks simple enough completed , because i had not been given a subject to do a collage on , it was more difficult deciding what to do for her !

This was the final result ......

I will post my cracker photos at a later date - and thank you to all who took part in it , and made it a success for me ....

Friday

Please click the below clip to view my special message . I know i`ve missed a few regular viewers out there now , so i apologise to you . I tried so many times to do this , this morning , so if i " forgot " your name , so sorry ... i hope you`ll forgive me !! ;o)

I`m not one for being in the limelight , but i hope you will enjoy it - with out any laughing at me , i may add !! ;o)

Wednesday

Well ....... I thought i would step on the band waggon to do my own first slide show for all you to view !

It contains some of my favourite photos , of things i have put on previous posts , incase any readers have not gone back to when i first started blogging , back in May this year .

The time has gone by so quickly for me , having made so many new friends on here , and discovering more about myself , and wanting to challenge myself to do or try different things out there in the craft / muse world . It maybe a little early to reflect on my blogg year , but it felt right for me to do now ....

I do hope you like them all , and some may get a little surprise out there too !! ;o)

So ..... Thank you to you all for viewing , and this friday i would like to announce ......

I have a special message for all my readers out there !! ;o) I hope you will join me ........

Saturday

I have shown my Christmas Tree decorated on the post below . But having seen what do you love about your holiday home on participating blogs for the party recently , i thought i would show you some of my favourite things in my home ...... Not Christmas related , but i`d like to share my favourites .....

A " floating " light panel , with led and halogen lights on our bedroom ceiling . It`s remote controlled , and has 8 different light effects . One of which i call " disco " , and you don`t need that going on above you , if you`re trying to get to sleep ! We usually have it on while watching television , a bad thing i know to have in the bedroom !

My liquorice allsort table , i call it . By the designers from Ligne Roset , of France . We saw it at a home and gardens exhibition , and HAD to get . I daren`t tell you what it cost us !!!

It opens out a few different ways , so you have more room for others to use it ..... It is that heavy , it takes 2 people to move it , when i need to vacuum underneath it ...

My red rose wallpaper , which is one wall in the bedroom ....

Opposite side is a long dressing table , from Ikea , and before we put the tv on the wall .....

Our back room , that was a dining room ... But we decided to make it a chill room , with a sofa and to listen to music or read , and has a room divider . More to the left is where i sit at the computer ....

The back bedroom was turned into my craft room , which we decorated this August for me . This is my bird wallpaper , from Laura Ashley , and does not photograph that well , as it`s a metallic duck egg blue ...

Small bookcase displaying some of my thrift finds ....

My large table that i do my work on .... And if you think it looks like that now .... It`s a total mess !!

And lastly , my curtains , and much needed large bookcase to store more items .....

I hope you all enjoyed my little tour of what i love in my home .

So i would like to ask you , and if you want to show anything that you love , whether it is an ornament , fabric , furniture .....

Friday

Well , finally here`s my Christmas tree . After looking all over for a " alternative " fake tree ....... i found this .... It`s a chocolate coloured tree ! The photos do not do it justice , as when the lights shine on it , it has a gorgeous browny / deep purple tint to it , I LOVE IT !!

A bird on my tree top ... Instead of a fairy ....

One of the same white glittier birds dotted about on it ......

Sherry sent me a cracker - just because she said , made out of fabric , and filled with goodies .......

This was one of the things ...... A bell on another piece of fabric ... Sorry it`s not a good photo .. But it`s my favourite thing on the tree !

Dress form bodice , on a wire beaded hanger ......

Cute felt snowman ......

Felt glove with a polymer clay santa`s head stuck on .....

An old paper mache bell .....

Oh My ........ Just look at who`s sat on my sofa Rhonda !! ;o

I think they feel a little left out don`t you ?? I guess i`d better be going ... And thank you all for looking ...... ... xxx

Thursday

How could i not come on here today , to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to my blogger friends ??

I`m feeling better today , having had an awfully emotional day yesterday . I did not know what to do with myself , just mooching about the house . Did a little more painting in my kitchen , that`s a never ending task at the moment . Had a wonderful personal e-mail , from Rhonda , and not forgetting Sherry . You both have kept me buoyant with your kind words , thoughts and prayers .

As the saying goes , in times of a crisis , you get to know who your friends really are .

It`s Duran Duran `s - Come Undone , a favourite song of mine , and mixed with The X -Files clips programme , which i also watched as well . Done on the character , Scully having to go through her cancer ....

The song title depicts how i feel right now ... I had the news this morning , that my sister has been told that she has a 4 cm tumour on her liver now , after having surgery for cervical cancer .

I don`t feel like blogging right now , i am taking some " me " time away ... But hopefully not for too long , I love blogging .....

Tuesday

It is one which i will treasure most dearly , as i was quite shocked to receive it , and teary eyed when i`d read about it . And like her , i feel honoured , to have someone think that they are doing something wonderful , expressing their feelings and sharing it with you all.

Thank -you so much !!

Also included is 7 random facts about yourself , which you have to " reveal " ........ So here`s mine .....

Lipbalm ..... I have an obsession for this ! I must have 20 or so knocking around my home .

I can`t resist buying a new one that comes out , to see if i can find the perfect one for me . So far my favourite is the Badger Balm range .... Sherry , i just know you`ll be laughing at this . I just had to break off to answer the front door . My cracker has come !! And guess what you put inside my dear ..... A lipbalm !!! :o) LOL !

Lateness .... I`m not getting at anyone in particular .... Rhonda !! I just hate people being late for appointments etc . I have always felt this way , and i try and arrive at least 5 minutes before my due time , and i worry if i will myself be late , even if it`s out of my control !

Alcohol .... I do not drink alcohol . I may have an odd drink now and then though . But it does not do anything for me , wine gives me hot flushes ! I would rather go out to a trendy cafe / coffee bar shop and have a good quality hot steaming cappuccino !

List Maker .... I am an habitual list / to do maker ! Where ever i am , i have a pen and paper to jot things down . I have another obsession with note books , fancy ones , plain ones . I buy them , and if i think they are too nice to use , i just admire them . I cannot bear to spoil them !

Snoopy ..... I am a massive Snoopy Fan . Since i got my first book at 6 years old , to acquiring masses of items . I have boxes of things - i mainly go for vintage items when i can and mostly from charity shops / markets i visit . My best " find " is an 11 inch ceramic cookie jar , bought for £5 , and then finding out it`s worth over £100 !

" Tight " .... as in spending money . I have been called a " scrooge " and tighter than a camels behind in a sand storm !! It`s not that i don`t want to spend money . I simply cannot justify some purchases on something which i personally think is so overpriced , or the in thing to buy . I will pay out of my way for something that i do love ... Like my new coffee lounge table , which was custom made and came from France .

Abit Of fame .... I was in a school choir from the age of 10 . My sister and i sang in the Moldgreen Junior Folkchoir . Appearing at our local town hall on numerous occasions , to singing at Fountains Abbey , outside being filmed , and miming i may add !! To a song that was broadcast on our ITV channel ..... " Stars on Sunday " AND recording a record of our songs which was released in 1979 , called " The Morning Of Our Lives " ...

Autographs anyone ?? !! :o))

I hope you enjoyed my random facts about moi , and i`ll go away and have a think of who i would like to pass on the award to .....

Saturday

I have my " second wind " back today , or rather this evening . So , i am having a chatter with you , as a certain someone out there has requested ! :o)

I `ve had to have my lights on in the home , since 11am this morning as it`s been a real rainy , dreary dark day . I knew also i would not be going outside at all today , so i tweaked my blog about this morning , had lunch , then hit the slump of not wanting to do anything . A headache appeared yet again , so i had a snooze on the sofa , for which two hours passed so quickly , and then thought ... I`m ready to do a post of some sort .

Another poem came about a few nights ago written in bed . You know the situation , when you`re tired , so you go up - but then you cannot drop off , because you have so many things going around in your brain . You cannot switch off and get frustrated with yourself . I kept telling myself to stop these stupid thoughts and get to sleep . But that makes it worse . Too many thoughts to mention , but like , will he stop snoring !! ? :o) How can he make so much noise and not wake himself up ! ? LOL !!

But anyway , most of my thoughts were " dark " , not set in stone , like the photo above , looking vulnerable , naked and exposed for all to see . So this reflects the poems mood , but not what i am feeling right now .......

What if i -

Feel sad today ?

What if i -

Lost my way ?

What if i -

Need to cry ?

What if i -

With questions why ?

What if i -

Feel helpless inside ?

And cannot think

Need to hide

What if i -

Diversions aside

Try and face you all -

And cannot hide

What if i -

Change the way i think

Feed from others ,

Take a drink ?

What if i - can try what you say

What if i -

Say tomorrow , ..... not today ?

What if i -

Realise what you say

What if i-

Want to repay ?

What if i - Now feel secure

what if i -

can now say ....

Thank -you .

It was a few of so many thoughts that i do have , not necessarily all at the same time though . But included some to go in the poem itself .

Some come into my head pretty quickly , and i play around with the words . It`s that simple for me , although i know some cannot write poems , but are good writers in their own right .

Friday

First of all , my dear friend Sherry , nominated me for this award yesterday !!It was such an honour to receive this , and it`s made even more special , coming to me from her . Yet again , she`s thinking of others , when she was not having a good day herself , a low blue day . I hope your blues have lifted today ! (( Muah ))

And i would like to pass this award to RHONDA ! A new friend of mine , who keeps me laughing . You deserve it !! :o)

I had to go out today , although i did not feel like it . The wind is terrible here , so much so , i now have bad ear ache just subsiding , and it took me twice as long to get home battling the head on wind !

I did however buy a few things along my way around the town . A new magazine , a few library books , and yet more books , old children`s ones . Do i need anymore books ! ?

I bought Thumbelina , ...... remember her anyone ??The tiniest little girl , half the size of your thumb , and she was " given " to a lady who wanted a child so badly . Her bed was a walnut shell with rose petals for her mattress .Inside was a poem , i read it , and thought , what if i were that small ? What would i see ? What could i do just for a day , if i were her ?

If you wereThumbelina .

If you were Thumbelina -

Just think of all you`d see ....

The rainbow in a dew-drop ,

The soft fur on a bee .

The sparkle of a spiders web

Hung with beads of rain .

The warm smile of a buttercup

When the sun comes out again .

Whiskers on a centipede !

A leaf which rustles by ..

The soft shine on a daisy

Looking upwards to the sky .

But - a crumb would be your breakfast -

The same for lunch and tea !

And an apple pip for supper -

Or a grain of corn maybe .

And then , a mouse , a frog or bird

Might come and tread on you !

So - think of Thumbelina

And all that YOU can do !

I have not seen this poem before , but have fragments of memories , of stories of her as a child .

To me , it does not matter how " small " you may feel . There will be days when you are not noticed , and feel invisible to others . Sit and ponder what is " wrong " in your life . You are a person in your own right . However " big " the world seems , everyone has their part in it , to look and take notice , to love , to live , be happy and just be themselves , no questions asked .

And now i am off to have some "me " time . So if i`m not on here over the weekend ... Don`t quote me on this one ! Have a wonderful weekend everyone ! x

Thursday

While cleaning my bedroom this morning , i had the television on . It had one of those chat show morning programmes that we all seem to have these days .I was not intending to post today , but one of the subjects made me stop , and watch it . Then i had to say something on here about it .

On came a man , who`s wife had breast cancer . A double mastectomy , and was on the long road to recovery . So why was he on ? He was telling his side of the " story " , of being "left out " in his wife`s cancer `s diagnosis , to operation , to recovery .

And i had a light bulb moment , of me thinking of well , yes i am " guilty " of not thinking how the cancer partners feelings are taken into consideration .He chatted about him feeling alone , and not having someone outside to talk to about it . So he had to resort to finding out himself , from the internet , all the jargon words they use while consulting his wife . He felt excluded in the discussion , even though he was present throughout all of his wife`s . And went onto say , and i don`t think he was selfish in saying so , " Nobody has ever asked how i am feeling " . Yes relatives came to visit us both , but always asked me , how is she doing ? All their attention was on her , and i felt even more left out .I felt for that man , not pity , but him having to go through it on his own , when he had a traumatic enough time to deal with .

So how could i not see this , and not ask my sister how her husband is dealing with this ?All your attention is on the one who is having to " deal with it ". And i was blind to the fact i didn`t think of him .

It`s also a question i could have asked Sherry , but not thought of it , until it was made public , to make you think , well yes how are you doing ? . Yes i did feel the need to get the message out there more , and to show that there is hope for all " sufferer`s " and "survivors " . I was more focused on Sherry and her inspiration to give to others out there . Not that i want to take anything away from that , but i apologise to you .Maybe it could be a subject to write yourself about Sherry ? If you have not done already .

Yes i know men will be men , and put on a brave front , because they will be seen as "weak " , and not ment to cry . But they have feelings too , even if they seem they don`t want help , and not show their feelings as much women , they could be crying inside .

So amidst all your questions and concerns , have a little thought for their partners please .I know i will do now .....